#flight essentials

Flight Essentials: A Must-Have Travel Kit

Long Haul Flight Essentials

Summer is coming fast, and Summer means holidays! So here’s a little list of everything I think you’ll want to take with you on your flight!

headphones

I rarely leave the house without headphones, so there’s no chance I could survive a long haul flight without them! You need them to use the entertainment TVs, listen to music and most importantly, to drown out the people around you while you’re…

I think no one really enjoys a long-haul flight, what’s there to like, right? but we can try to make them more bearable and comfortable.

So the big question here is what should we do and what should we take with us to survive a long haul flight and to be more environmentally friendly…

Where to seat

Personally, I like to seat in the mid row in an aisle seat so I can have as many pee breaks and walks I need without disturbing other people.

Meal options

Regarding meals, most big airlines that have long haul flights do offer vegetarian and vegan meal options. But if you are not sure better to call the airline to confirm. Some airlines are better than others.

Reusable Food And Drink Utensils

I always take reusable cutlery, a cup and a water bottle (with or without a filter depending to where I’m travelling to) with me that I use in the aeroplane avoiding single-use plastic but also during my travels. I always refuse, plastic cutlery, cups and straws, and I refill my water bottle when possible instead of buying bottled water.

All of this is just fundamental for me not only for the flight but for all the time I’m travelling.

For cutlery I like the ones made of bamboo, for a bottle I use the ones you can roll up, they are light and can easily fit into the pocket on my backpack when empty. You also have great ones with a water filter on.

I also have a pocket-sized reusable cup, that is resizeable for three drinking sizes, and even better than that is eco-friendly built to last and readily recyclable.

The Pokito cup is easy to clean and is made from recyclable materials and are BPA free.

Even if they offer paper cups, keep in mind that most of them can’t be recycled, because they contain plastic, so 99% of cups go into a landfill. If that is not enough to scare you out, 7,000,000 single-use cups are thrown away in the UK alone every single day. Stacked up, they would be more than 7 x taller than Mount Everest

Pokito is a great brand for different reasons and its why I don’t mind making some free publicity. As consumers, we need to boycott brands that are environmental disasters and support the good projects out there.  The Pokito cups are environmentally sustainable after just 15 uses.

To get comfortable  

I travel very light so despite never been able to sleep in an aeroplane I never really though on buying one of those U-shaped pillows, they are really big, and I would have the space to pack them in my small bag. So they always seemed such a waste of space.

My mind changed when I came across the Trtl Travel Pillow, they really looked great but still, I wasn’t convinced that they would be a must have for my travels. So the idea stayed on the back of my mind for a while.

On my last trip to Indonesia, a faced uncountable flying hours, plus long journeys hooping between islands in a country that spreads across a chain of thousands of islands between Asia and Australia. It was so so tiring.. I was really jealous of all those people that can sleep anywhere because I’m so bad at it… when my eyes close, my mouth opens instantly and my head drops down, and I wake up. Every journey is a real struggle for me to find a comfortable position.

So when I returned I thought well maybe I should give the Trtl Pillow a go and see if works for me. So I had it ready for my next trip to Marrocos.

During my trip I felt that the pillow added virtually no weight to my luggage, it was surprisingly supportive and can be worn in different ways, even to the front leaving your head straight up.

True to be told my Trtl Pillow is my new travel essential, because is lightweight (200 grams), super comfortable, folds up tiny and allows me to take naps in transports for the first time.

This pillow looks like a scarf and because most planes are Arctic cold, it comes really handy, it is cosy, soft, and keeps you warm. Plus the hypoallergenic fleece can be washed.

Clothes

I like to pack a few extra pieces of clothing so I can be comfortable and survive to the aeroplane air-conditioning.

I always have a pair of comfy socks and a blanket if the company doesn’t provide one. Although I’ve read articles about the benefits of compression socks I’vent tried to use them.

Ear plugs, and headphones

Earplugs can really help you sleep, and headphones are a must to keep you entertained when you are awake.

Vegan snacks 

Regardless of the food on the plane, and always pack lots of snacks to keep me busy. I always do my own like a mix of different protein bars and energy bites, I also take fruit, nuts, on some occasions I also took roasted chickpeas, sliced Cucumbers and Carrots and Hummus, yummy 🙂

To keep me busy

I have a book to read, a notebook to write some thoughts, a travel guide, and my phone. I also pack some moisturising to avoid the sensation of getting to dry.

Well and if you are really serious about getting a flight somewhere, passport, plane ticket, and money are a must of course 😂

These are just some ideas but whatever you do, try to be as green as possible…

Do you travel with the same things? What do you take with you that makes your time on the aeroplane more bearable? Any other objects/tricks you could recommend? Let me know in the comments below.

*although I’m talking about a specific product I’m not being paid to write this article neither will get any compensation if you make a purchase*

How to Deal with Jet Lag

(This post may include affiliate links for more information see my disclaimer).

Jet Lag is hard to deal with especially on longhaul flights, but when you have found cheap flights to Dubai you just try to learn the best ways to deal with jet lag.

Getting cheap flights to Dubai or other destinations will make you happy as you can’t keep the smile off your face that you found a great deal.

When the Weather Affects Travelling

The weather affected my travels plans at the beginning of the month as the snow caused chaos in Europe with the ‘Beast from the East’ and ‘Storm Emma’. To get back to London was a nightmare! Why it had to snow the week I came home? The weather was fine before in January and most of February. My flight from Genoa, Italy to London, UK is normally a straightforward 2-hour flight, but this time it…

Flying long-haul or short-haul is never fun, but if you have a few flight essentials it will make your flight more bearable.

I always carry these items in my hand luggage:

Flight Pillow

I always carry my own flight pillow as I then know only I have used it! The Cabeau Evolution Memory Foam Travel Pillow is the most comfortable pillow I have ever used as it keeps your head in a good position and it firm. It squashes down into a little bag, so easy to travel with.

Pashmina

I like to use my own pashmina as a blanket, again then I know no one else has used it before me! A dark colour is better so no airplane spills show!

Sweets and Mints

I chew on Mentos when the plane is taking off to stop my ears from popping. I carry Altoids Peppermints for a quick breath fresher in between getting up to clean my teeth.

Hand Cream

My favourite hand cream for the plane is L’Occitane Dry Skin Hand Cream as works wonders for dry, tired hands and it comes in a 30 ml travel size, so you hand put it in your little clear bag!

iPad

My iPad Mini is my flight essential as I use it waiting to board the plane and onboard. I listen to podcasts, read magazines, read books, play games, listen to music and maybe even write a blog post! 

Headphones

Headphone on a plane are a necessity, just to block out the noise of the people around you! Noise cancelling headphone are great for you to relax and be in your own zone. I have the Sony Overhead Noise Cancelling Headphones, I would love to have a Bose pair one day, but these ones work well and do not break the bank! 

Socks

I like to put on a clean pair of socks on even if I am wearing a pair of socks, it just makes it more comfy and then you can walk around the plane without having to put your shoes on every time you get up.

Hand Sanitiser

Planes are not the most cleanest of places, so I always have some hand sanitiser to clean my hands and I put some on a tissue to clean the fold away tray and arm rests!

Glasses Case

If you wear glasses, there will be a point that you would like to take them off to sleep or rest your eyes. So a glasses case is handy to have in the seat pocket.

Rescue Remedy

If you are a little nervous or anxious before or during the flight, I find that Rescue Remedy has a calming effect. Just put four drops on the tongue or in a glass of water. 

If you enjoyed these tips subscribe to my weekly newsletter and receive for free my Top 15 Packing Tips Click here to subscribe

All the recommended products are available from my favourite online shop Amazon! As it is your one-stop shop from the comfort of your sofa!

Also, why not take advantage of free delivery on many of their products by signing up for a free Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial!

I hope you have enjoyed reading the top 10 flight essentials, please share on Facebook and Pinterest so your friends and family can read too. Sharing is caring!

Happy Travels

Love Lucy x

(L. Williams is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk, at no extra cost, to you).

Get Ready! – Our Top 15 Packing Tips

Get Ready! Our 15 Top Packing Tips When you’re traveling long haul and packing in a hurry, it’s easy to miss out something from your list, particularly when you’re in a rush and trying to meet a work deadline before signing out of your email. Take a deep breath and relax. Enchanting Travels considers all the options and provides 15 top packing tips.   “I would gladly live out of a suitcase if it…